Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-temperature thermocouple with a thermocouple wire including two dissimilar wires twisted together and covered with a polyimide-based leak-proof insulation coating. The thermocouple wire may include a welded hot junction attaching the two dissimilar wires together on one end and may be connected to a thermocouple connector located at an opposite end. A method for making the high-temperature thermocouple may include coating a pair of dissimilar wires with a leak-proof polyimide-based insulation coating by dipping of dissimilar wires in a liquid polyimide-based solution and curing the dissimilar wires with heat. The method may also include twisting the dissimilar wires around themselves, welding together the dissimilar wires to each other creating a welded hot junction, and attaching the opposite end of the dissimilar wires to a thermocouple connector. The leak-proof insulation coating and thermocouple connector may be rated for 800 degrees F. and 150 PSI.

Abstract: A sensing system that will accurately monitor cold and hot spots and verify the appropriate area temperature for composite structure repair and where IR LED is being activated. Various embodiments of this invention may include: miniaturized thermocouples that can be embedded into the sensing system, distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system and software for heat modeling, and/or printed thermocouple circuits on thermo pads. The sensing system may be a grid of sensors that is either a standalone layer, such as a sheet or blanket, or integrated with any of the layers already common in composite repair, i.e. printed circuitry or over-molded circuitry. Additionally, the sensing system generates the temperature profile of a heated area during a fuselage repair and pin-points and identifies hot and cold problem areas on a complex fuselage section.